2 



With the Antiquities of Egypt the world has long been fanrtliar. Their sculptures, and 

 paintings, and hieroglyphics, and the venerable ruins of their ancient temples and palaces, 

 have alwaj's been accessible to the traveller, and the vast number of Egyptian papyri 

 which have been at ditt'crent times collected together, have afforded him great facility in 

 deciphering them, and have served to enrich the treasury of knowledge, as to whatever 

 relates to the history and antiquities of that once celebrated empire. It is not so with 

 respect to Mexico — from the causes already assigned, we have been, hitherto, unfortunately 

 left much in the dark as to its remote state. The comparatively few remains of Mexican 

 hieroglyphics now to be found, are so scattered about Europe, that it has been a matter of 

 great difficulty to bring them together under the view of the Antiquarian, so as to lead to a 

 discovery of their meaning ; and they have been usually considered, in the libraries where 

 they are presen'ed, as almost useless, or, at the best, as a trifling object of curiosity. 



The learned Baron de Humboldt, in his great work on American Monuments, laments 

 that an account of all those ancient and valuable remains, had not been published by 

 authority of the several governments possessing them. ' He observes, that there were none 

 to be found in England ; and it appears that other late writers on the history of South 

 America had not ascertained whether any specimens of their Antiquities were to be met 

 with in our great Libraries or Museums. Dr. Robertson, in his "History of America," 

 vol. ii. note .54, says, "The only unquestionable specimen of Mexican Art, that I know of 

 in Great Britain, is a cup, of v^ry fine gold, which is said to have belonged to Montezuma. 

 It was purchased by Edward, Earl of Orford, while he lay in the harbour of Cadiz, with 

 the fleet under his command, and is now in the possession of his grandson. Lord Archer." 



The universallj' acknowledged want of such a work, suggested the idea of the present 

 publication. It has been prosecuted under the immediate auspices of the Right Honourable 

 Lord Viscount Kingsborough, and through the kind and generous patronage of that noble- 

 man, this truly magnificent collection is at length completed. It commences with the five 

 Mexican manuscripts and hieroglyphic paintings, which are preserved in the Bodleian 

 Library at Oxford, and proceeds with exact copies of such hieroglyphics and manuscripts as 

 exist in the principal libraries of Europe, including the original text, accompanied by an 

 English translation. The coloured impressions present perfect fao-similes of the original 

 drawings, and the whole has been produced under the artist's own careful inspection. 



The work will also contain correct graphic representations of the ancient monuments of 

 New Spain, together with their respective descriptions, as given by M. Guillelmo Dupaix. 

 They were selected by that learned officer during those jourules which he undertook at the 

 express command of the late King of Spxiin : it forms a collection of great value, and has 

 ■never till now been published. 



In compiling the present production its noble patron has spared no expense ; and 

 it is the result of the indelatigable labour of five years, three of which were devoted by the 

 artist, who is the publisher, to travelling through various countries, in anxious search of 

 .•whatever might render it worthy of encouragement. In the collection of his materials he 

 had often much difficulty in gaining access to the places where they were deposited ; and on 

 some occasions the obstacles be met with appeared to be almost insurmountable. He feels 

 high gratificiitiou, however, in having at last, by great industry and perseverance, so com- 

 pletely attained his object. 



Although the want of correct information on a subject of such interest has been hitherto 

 much regretted, it is hoped that the undertaking now respectfully submitted to public notice 

 will, in a great degree, cause such regret to ceise. Every particular that could be traced 

 relating to the Antiquities of Mexico, whether in writing, painting, or sculpture, has been 

 mo.^t carefully sought after ; and not a single object has been overlooked which might 

 tend to give to this work the character of perfection, as being at once comprehensive, 

 splendid, and unique. 



